While Microsoft has placed strict regulations on CableCard equipped systems, it will not hinder Media Center Extender capabilities. AMD claims:

With the new ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner, consumers can watch live or record high-definition broadcasts to preserve in a video library or stream to their Xbox 360™, if permitted by the content provider. Powered by AMD Avivo™ image technology, consumers get outstanding picture quality and smooth playback of their premium HD digital cable TV content on their media center PC, beyond basic cable channels, traditional analog TV and free over-the-air HD channels.

The TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner will tune into most broadcast sources including NTSC, ATSC over-the-air and QAM encrypted ATSC. AMD’s Theater 550 Pro decoder that is also found on AMD’s TV Wonder Elite delivers analog tuning capabilities. An AMD NXT2003 decoder takes care of ATSC tuning. While the TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner will tune into regular cable broadcast and over-the-air antenna signals users are required to contact their cable company to obtain a CableCard for premium channels such as HBO.

AMD will provide three versions of the TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner -- external, PCI and PCIe. All three models interface with the system via USB 2.0 though. External models connect using standard USB 2.0 interface and require power from its own power supply. PCI and PCIe models only use the physical slot for retention purposes and require power through a floppy-drive power connector. The internal interface is still USB 2.0 on PCI and PCIe models.

Expect the TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner to be available in OEM systems when Windows Vista ships on January 30th, 2007.

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